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Beckoning Blood
(Bonds of Blood #1)
by
A gripping, blood‐drenched saga about twin brothers, the men they love, and the enduring truth that true love never dies — no matter how many times you kill it.
Thierry d’Arjou has but one escape from the daily misery of his work at a medieval abattoir — Etienne de Balthas. But keeping their love a secret triggers a bloody chain of events that condemns Thierry to a monstrou ...more
Thierry d’Arjou has but one escape from the daily misery of his work at a medieval abattoir — Etienne de Balthas. But keeping their love a secret triggers a bloody chain of events that condemns Thierry to a monstrou ...more
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Start your review of Beckoning Blood (Bonds of Blood #1)
An impossible task...to provide a SPOILER free review.
**4 Blood Filled Stars**
This sick monster that wore his face 1390 Carcassonne, France.
Twin brothers, identical in appearance...but as opposite as night and day. Thierry a loving and compassionate soul...is no match to his calculating and evil brother, Olivier. The two share a powerful bond- though unwanted by Thierry- keeps them from truly being alone. A con ...more
**4 Blood Filled Stars**
We may look the same,but we are nothing alike.
I won't be tortured for your sins.
This sick monster that wore his face 1390 Carcassonne, France.
Twin brothers, identical in appearance...but as opposite as night and day. Thierry a loving and compassionate soul...is no match to his calculating and evil brother, Olivier. The two share a powerful bond- though unwanted by Thierry- keeps them from truly being alone. A con ...more
May 08, 2014
SheReadsALot
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
m-m-romance,
vampire,
biter-sexy,
damaged-hero,
paranormal,
historical,
bad-boy,
contemporary,
erotic,
suspense
*waves hands frantically* Guilty as charged!
4 HEARTS--The d'Arjou twins...vampire twins, gruesome, twisted and quite a tale they weave.
Any True Blood or Vampire Diaries fans out there? I'm a fan of both. And surprise, surprise, I gravitate to the twisted ones. The anti-hero/villains are way better the good guys. There's just something about the depraved ones, the less morals, the better!
Think of having Damon Salvatore times two and one is without a conscience! :D
Warning for the easily squ ...more
3.75 Stars
You know how some books grab you right away and you're invested in the story/characters?
That didn't happen for me here.
It screamed Vampire Diaries fanfic.
Not hatin'. I like Damon and Stefan myself, but the whole good brother vs. bad brother, how they become vampires, the time jumps, the lost love that returns all struck me as a regurgitation of the show. Aside from these brothers being twins, French and gay/bisexual.
It's told in three parts the first two of which I meandered throug ...more
You know how some books grab you right away and you're invested in the story/characters?
That didn't happen for me here.
It screamed Vampire Diaries fanfic.
Not hatin'. I like Damon and Stefan myself, but the whole good brother vs. bad brother, how they become vampires, the time jumps, the lost love that returns all struck me as a regurgitation of the show. Aside from these brothers being twins, French and gay/bisexual.
It's told in three parts the first two of which I meandered throug ...more
Beckoning Blood grabbed my attention when I saw that cover, and once I read the official blurb I was intrigued. Could it be that I had found what I had been craving over the past month? A rare darker MM paranormal? Yes. Hallelujah! I did.
When the reader first meets twins Thierry and Olivier d'Arjou it is in Carcassonne, France, 1390. Their father is brutal and their sister, though younger, has assumed a maternal figure for them. They are identical but one thing is for certain, Olivier is the on ...more
5 Stars
Review:
Vampires. Twins. Obsession. Cruelty. Love. Angst. And so much blood!
There honestly isn't a single bad thing I can say about this book. I've loved everything about it both times I've read it. It is just as gripping and blood-drenched as the blurb promises it will be.
The book focuses on two characters, twin brothers, and they're both so complex. Olivier is awful. Just so messed up. But in a way that makes you hate him but also makes you want to keep reading about him. His cruelty doe ...more
Review:
Vampires. Twins. Obsession. Cruelty. Love. Angst. And so much blood!
There honestly isn't a single bad thing I can say about this book. I've loved everything about it both times I've read it. It is just as gripping and blood-drenched as the blurb promises it will be.
The book focuses on two characters, twin brothers, and they're both so complex. Olivier is awful. Just so messed up. But in a way that makes you hate him but also makes you want to keep reading about him. His cruelty doe ...more
~This review originally appeared on www.readplayreview.com~
As a long time fan of the Paranormal Fantasy genre, i'm used to gay characters and sex scenes in my books. It may surprise you to know that i've never actually read a book that was based entirely around a M/M romance. It is time to change that, so lets dig into Beckoning Blood and see what i've been missing.
Trigger warning: This book contains some graphic scenes that may be triggering if you are sensitive to sexual violence.
I'm going to ...more
As a long time fan of the Paranormal Fantasy genre, i'm used to gay characters and sex scenes in my books. It may surprise you to know that i've never actually read a book that was based entirely around a M/M romance. It is time to change that, so lets dig into Beckoning Blood and see what i've been missing.
Trigger warning: This book contains some graphic scenes that may be triggering if you are sensitive to sexual violence.
I'm going to ...more
3 1/2 stars
Twin vampire brothers. Yes, I had an image in my head. Probably because this book does feel like a Vampire Diaries fan fic.
Many times I was yelling at my kindle "TEASE!!!! Why won't you give me the brother love!!!!"
I never really warmed to Thierry. He was right there next to his brother, participating in the same things...yet Olivier is the one painted as a monster.
I don't think Thierry is any more moral than Olivier.
I loved Olivier. He loved his brother a little to much...and maybe ...more
Twin vampire brothers. Yes, I had an image in my head. Probably because this book does feel like a Vampire Diaries fan fic.
Many times I was yelling at my kindle "TEASE!!!! Why won't you give me the brother love!!!!"
I never really warmed to Thierry. He was right there next to his brother, participating in the same things...yet Olivier is the one painted as a monster.
I don't think Thierry is any more moral than Olivier.
I loved Olivier. He loved his brother a little to much...and maybe ...more
*** I have received an ARC via NetGalley ***
This is a true gem for any paranormal book fan and I certainly did not expect such a wonderfully dark, twisted and bloody (yes, it does get pretty detailed, like the cover suggests) story to be published by Harlequin (okay, it's by Escape Publishing, but they are uder Harlequin).
I thought that this would be a fluffy vampire romance - but no.
It is so much more.
"Beckoning Blood" is the tale of two brothers, twins, who are as different as ying and yang.
Th ...more
This is a true gem for any paranormal book fan and I certainly did not expect such a wonderfully dark, twisted and bloody (yes, it does get pretty detailed, like the cover suggests) story to be published by Harlequin (okay, it's by Escape Publishing, but they are uder Harlequin).
I thought that this would be a fluffy vampire romance - but no.
It is so much more.
"Beckoning Blood" is the tale of two brothers, twins, who are as different as ying and yang.
Th ...more
Nov 29, 2018
LOLA
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
para-mm,
lgbq,
all-mm,
fucked-up-beyond-all-reason,
x-leaves-you-wanting-more,
series,
pretty-good,
y-2018
Gory and Nasty.
Loved it.
More.
Loved it.
More.
Book Scorecard
Overall - 4 stars
A vampire novel they way they should be written. No useless whining or longing to be human. They revel in lakes of blood, and play with humans like the toys they view them to be.
Fantasy World - 3 stars
The story moves quickly through the centuries. Nothing pulled me out of the story, but I really wanted more details of their various locations.
Tingle - 5 stars
From clandestine assignations in the woods to sultry nights in dance clubs, the sex ranges from tender to ani ...more
Overall - 4 stars
A vampire novel they way they should be written. No useless whining or longing to be human. They revel in lakes of blood, and play with humans like the toys they view them to be.
Fantasy World - 3 stars
The story moves quickly through the centuries. Nothing pulled me out of the story, but I really wanted more details of their various locations.
Tingle - 5 stars
From clandestine assignations in the woods to sultry nights in dance clubs, the sex ranges from tender to ani ...more
I can't say that I really enjoyed this book. The one thing that I liked about it was the idea, the story. Gay twin brothers who're turned into vampires and have this strange telepathic connection and this love-and-hate relationship, wow! This could have been one epic book. But it wasn't.
That was partly due because of the bad writing. The sentences were plain and simple and I couldn't get into the plot at all, not at one point. They were just words on a page but not a story coming to life. I woul ...more
That was partly due because of the bad writing. The sentences were plain and simple and I couldn't get into the plot at all, not at one point. They were just words on a page but not a story coming to life. I woul ...more
New to me author. This is a dark mm paranormal story set over many centuries. Twin brothers Oliver and Thierry start as humans and become vampires. Lots of blood and betrayal in this story. There is an awesome climax too.
#DNF
Two twins, one (Oliver) turns the other in a possessive rage because (Thierry) got a lover. They both spend years together luxuriating in blood and pleasure. Until Thierry finds his dead lover reincarnated.
First of all, on the first page, they were slaughtering pigs. That should have given me enough of a hint that this book was trash. The characters had no substance and while the twins were 'supposed' BAMFs they really weren't. The only time they did anything noteworthy was while they kill ...more
Two twins, one (Oliver) turns the other in a possessive rage because (Thierry) got a lover. They both spend years together luxuriating in blood and pleasure. Until Thierry finds his dead lover reincarnated.
First of all, on the first page, they were slaughtering pigs. That should have given me enough of a hint that this book was trash. The characters had no substance and while the twins were 'supposed' BAMFs they really weren't. The only time they did anything noteworthy was while they kill ...more
🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/16/2020)! 🎁
Beckoning Blood starts off with some of the grittiest, gory scenes I’ve read in quite some time and I really loved it. Dark, dangerous and dirty; twins Thierry and Olivier know how to fight, how to keep secrets, and how to avoid their murderous father. Each with desires that could see them dead, living in a world full of fear and destruction, this paranormally linked pair struggle to stay alive in the squalor of 1390’s Carcassonne.
Really great writing and a story that gripped me from the start, ...more
Really great writing and a story that gripped me from the start, ...more
ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 2014
A gripping, blood‐drenched saga about twin brothers, the men they love, and the enduring truth that true love never dies — no matter how many times you kill it.
Thierry d’Arjou has but one escape from the daily misery of his work at a medieval abattoir — Etienne de Balthas. But keeping their love a secret triggers a bloody chain of events that condemns Thierry to a monstrous immortality. Thierry quickly learns that to survive his timeless exile, he must hide h ...more
A gripping, blood‐drenched saga about twin brothers, the men they love, and the enduring truth that true love never dies — no matter how many times you kill it.
Thierry d’Arjou has but one escape from the daily misery of his work at a medieval abattoir — Etienne de Balthas. But keeping their love a secret triggers a bloody chain of events that condemns Thierry to a monstrous immortality. Thierry quickly learns that to survive his timeless exile, he must hide h ...more
This is the first book and it was a great one to read. This is a continuing story. This first book tells the struggles of the twins that were turned into vampires. One loves the other and wants him to himself. The other loves someone else and sees the death of his liver more then once. A great start to a wonderful series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Beckoning Blood was a twisted, stormy, pitch-black ride that spans centuries–starting in France in the 1300′s and going forward to modern-day Australia. It reminded me in many ways of the television shows Oz and Spartacus, or Tiffany Reisz’s Original Sinner’s series – not so much the subject matter since the aforementioned have no vampires - as the way it was told, the way the characters consistently crossed the blurred lines of good and evil (or moral and immoral), and just when you thought som
...more
Compelling would be the word for this debut from Daniel de Lorne. This had everything in it that I love from a damn good vampire tale.
Mr de Lorne's writing style has just enough emotion in it to drag a reader in and clips along at a pace that keeps you turning the page. There's gore, pathos, hot sex and humor... pretty much everything you need to while away a sneaky afternoon reading.
Frankly, it's like he's taken all the elements that work in vampire fiction and has thrown away the rest. Love i ...more
Mr de Lorne's writing style has just enough emotion in it to drag a reader in and clips along at a pace that keeps you turning the page. There's gore, pathos, hot sex and humor... pretty much everything you need to while away a sneaky afternoon reading.
Frankly, it's like he's taken all the elements that work in vampire fiction and has thrown away the rest. Love i ...more
This is my 1st read and review for this author and wow what an amazing story and boy is it dark but that just made the story more exciting and this is the story of twin vampire brothers Oliver and Thierry. Oliver is the bad twin he takes great pleasure in people’s pain and giving it out as well he’s sadistic and cruel, Thierry is the good twin well if you can call him good the only difference is that Thierry isn’t cruel or psychotic but boredom makes a vampire dangerous. I’m not going to get too
...more
brilliant brilliant story!!!!!!!!!!!
olivier olivier olivier..... i fell so so sorry for him but he was so horrible to his brother...
what a fantastic story as we follow the brothers through the centuries killing fucking and gore everywhere they went.. thierry still trying to find his love and what a brilliant ending cant wait for book two.... dont want to say to much but book 2 will be brilliant!!!!!!
olivier olivier olivier..... i fell so so sorry for him but he was so horrible to his brother...
what a fantastic story as we follow the brothers through the centuries killing fucking and gore everywhere they went.. thierry still trying to find his love and what a brilliant ending cant wait for book two.... dont want to say to much but book 2 will be brilliant!!!!!!
Finally a book that can truly be described as dark. I've been disappointed many times over when a book is categorized as dark but it's not really dark at all. Even books with trigger warnings aren't much of a trigger. Beckoning Blood, however, deserves the title of the Truly Dark Reads Of the Decade and the author, Daniel de Lorne, should be the King of the Triggers. This is how I love my dark books - where there's no euphemism, where bad characters act like villains and there aren't excuses for
...more
Apr 22, 2020
PortlandAvidReader
added it
A refreshingly brutal vampire tale. Wonderful start to the series.
The story is three vignettes, one in 1390, one in 1792 and one in present time, with the same characters, some in the same bodies, some in different.
Twins who were converted to vampire against their wills in 14th century CE France, Thierry and Olivier have a love/hate relationship. Their sister, Aurelia, a witch, tracks and restrains them. All three were sexually brutalized by Henri, their father, The brothers share a psychic bond ...more
The story is three vignettes, one in 1390, one in 1792 and one in present time, with the same characters, some in the same bodies, some in different.
Twins who were converted to vampire against their wills in 14th century CE France, Thierry and Olivier have a love/hate relationship. Their sister, Aurelia, a witch, tracks and restrains them. All three were sexually brutalized by Henri, their father, The brothers share a psychic bond ...more
2,5 stars
Ambitious take on most romanticized monster in fiction by debut author. :)
Well, to call it a story about vampires wouldn't be exactly accurate, since story is more focused on sick obsession one twin has with his brother- in fact, every thing that happened in this book can be tracked to this.
Triggers: Ok, I think this is a good place to write one thing I was wondering when I was musing should I buy this book: does this book feature twincest or not? When I read the blurb for the first ti ...more
Ambitious take on most romanticized monster in fiction by debut author. :)
Well, to call it a story about vampires wouldn't be exactly accurate, since story is more focused on sick obsession one twin has with his brother- in fact, every thing that happened in this book can be tracked to this.
Triggers: Ok, I think this is a good place to write one thing I was wondering when I was musing should I buy this book: does this book feature twincest or not? When I read the blurb for the first ti ...more
And why only one of them? I honestly don't know. Like I said, I have no idea what kind of vampires they are, because it seems that author added these little details later or he wrote it like he presumed we already know how it works. Same thing can be applied to their sister and her power. 
I saw that author is working on a sequel, so I guess we'll get conclusion. 
I'm not sure how to rate this. I found the first part to be quite slow and repetitive but it picked up pace and intrigue by the end, enough for me to want to continue with the series to see where it goes and what 'the plan' is. A dark story with plenty of death and blood.
...more
Dark
At first I really enjoyed it but then eventually it got to be a bit much with all the killing and blood. A lot was left unexplained.
At first I really enjoyed it but then eventually it got to be a bit much with all the killing and blood. A lot was left unexplained.
4 star review by Roberta
Wow, this book was different than I thought it be and I’m glad that I had the chance to read it.
Thierry d’Arjou and Olivier d’Arjou are twin brothers who were raised under the fists of their tyrannical father. They had each other as well as their little sister. They have the bond a twin bond that allows them to feel what the other is feeling. It keeps them connected. That’s both good and bad. To have someone who knows you inside and out is something that we all want and y ...more
Wow, this book was different than I thought it be and I’m glad that I had the chance to read it.
Thierry d’Arjou and Olivier d’Arjou are twin brothers who were raised under the fists of their tyrannical father. They had each other as well as their little sister. They have the bond a twin bond that allows them to feel what the other is feeling. It keeps them connected. That’s both good and bad. To have someone who knows you inside and out is something that we all want and y ...more
What to say about this Harlequin? Not so much, except that it's somewhere cooled me. I expected the extra one and I had only disappointment.
The novel tells us the story of twins brothers, Thierry and Olivier d' Arjou, for which the love of the one will destroy the happiness of the other.
For the moment, I found that interesting to follow a similar story, except that at one moment I got lost because the story lost some of his charms, when we advanced in the account.
Let's speak about the protagoni ...more
The novel tells us the story of twins brothers, Thierry and Olivier d' Arjou, for which the love of the one will destroy the happiness of the other.
For the moment, I found that interesting to follow a similar story, except that at one moment I got lost because the story lost some of his charms, when we advanced in the account.
Let's speak about the protagoni ...more
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
You know those vampires that go to high school and won’t kill humans or those vampires drinking synthetic blood trying to mainstream? These are so not those vampires. These vampires want all of your blood and will take whatever organs they have time for as well, as their killings are visceral and bloody.
The book is told from three points in time, 1390 France, 1792 France, and modern day Australia. The connection of the brothers is displayed first and that was one of ...more
4 stars
You know those vampires that go to high school and won’t kill humans or those vampires drinking synthetic blood trying to mainstream? These are so not those vampires. These vampires want all of your blood and will take whatever organs they have time for as well, as their killings are visceral and bloody.
The book is told from three points in time, 1390 France, 1792 France, and modern day Australia. The connection of the brothers is displayed first and that was one of ...more
This is a story about real vampires. It is dark, bloody and sometimes brutal, but this is how it should be.
However, I`ve mixed feelings about this story. The main reason is Thierry. I didn`t like him. He has this "poor me " attitude and is a hypocrite. He thinks his brother is a monster, but IMO he is not better than Olivier. I didn`t like Thierry in the beginning and at the end of the story I hated him wholeheartedly.
I didn`t like Alex either. His sudden change of heart and that he accepted his ...more
However, I`ve mixed feelings about this story. The main reason is Thierry. I didn`t like him. He has this "poor me " attitude and is a hypocrite. He thinks his brother is a monster, but IMO he is not better than Olivier. I didn`t like Thierry in the beginning and at the end of the story I hated him wholeheartedly.
I didn`t like Alex either. His sudden change of heart and that he accepted his ...more
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Daniel de Lorne writes about men, monsters and magic.
In love with writing since he wrote a story about a talking tree at age six, his first novel, the romantic horror Beckoning Blood, was published in 2014. At the heart of every book is a romance between two men, whether they’re irresistible vampires, historical hotties, or professional paramours.
If you take your LGBT romance fiction with supernat ...more
In love with writing since he wrote a story about a talking tree at age six, his first novel, the romantic horror Beckoning Blood, was published in 2014. At the heart of every book is a romance between two men, whether they’re irresistible vampires, historical hotties, or professional paramours.
If you take your LGBT romance fiction with supernat ...more
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Bonds of Blood
(3 books)
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“He took his hand and something sparked in the handshake. It coursed up his arm and fluttered in his chest. He gritted his teeth as he tried to keep his face smooth, pleasant, while lightning struck his heart. Reiner looked straight into his eyes, and when Thierry returned his intense gaze, he was bewildered as to where and when he was.
The breath he didn’t need to take caught in his dry throat.
The lights around him seemed to dim, leaving only the two of them illuminated. His muddled mind tried to understand what was happening, but as he groped for answers he found nothing to hold. Like trying to catch water.”
—
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The breath he didn’t need to take caught in his dry throat.
The lights around him seemed to dim, leaving only the two of them illuminated. His muddled mind tried to understand what was happening, but as he groped for answers he found nothing to hold. Like trying to catch water.”
“Soon, Etienne was lost to his clouded vision, and those three whispered words, which he finally uttered with a reverence saints would envy, went unheard.”
—
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